All About Brass
Trumpet
MATERIAL
  • Yellow Brass: Standard material. Produces a lively sound and solid tone. (70% copper, 30% zinc).  Quicker response compared to Gold Brass.
  • Gold (Red) Brass: Warmer, darker sound than yellow brass with more carrying power. (85% copper, 15% zinc). 
  • Sterling Plus:  (Bach only)  99.9% pure sterling silver. Creates a richer sound with full overtones – more projection.
  • Sterling Silver: 92.5% pure sterling silver.  Unique rich sound, full overtones.

BELL (Determines the characteristic sound of the instrument)
CONSTRUCTION
  • One-Piece Bell: (Professional) Bell formed from one continuous piece of metal producing a greatly improved tone over a two-piece bell.
  • Two-Piece Bell: (Student & Intermediate) Bell flare soldered on stem.
    Bach: Brazed (soldered)
    Conn, King, Holton: Plasma fused (no filler material)

WEIGHT
  • Lightweight - Lighter, thinner brass. Responds faster to attack. Brighter sound. (no tuning slide brace)
  • Heavy - Thicker brass. Restricts the sound more and creates a darker tone. Good for situations involving high dynamic levels without distortion. (2 tuning slide braces)
  • Standard - Falls in-between light and heavy. Good for all around uses. (1 tuning slide brace)

FLARE
  • Fast Taper - Creates a warmer, darker tone (solid line).
  • Slower Taper - More brilliant sound (dotted line).

BORE (Determined by measuring the inner diameter of second valve slide)
  • Medium:    .453”
  • Med. Large:    .459” – (Most popular Bb bore)
  • Large:         .462” – (Most popular C bore) & .464
  • Extra Large:    .468”
  • Vindabona:    .453”/.459”

FINISH
  • Silver:    Slightly brightens the sound.
  • Lacquer:    Slightly darkens/dampens sound. 
  • Gold:    Darkens sound more than lacquer.

PISTONS
  • Plated: Designed for students. Have wider tolerances & require less cleaning / lapping than Monel.
  • Stainless Steel: Designed for students. Have wider tolerances & require less cleaning / lapping than Monel.  Does not wear off like plating.  
  • Monel:  All intermediate & professional. Non-corrosive, very hard & durable. Must be hand-lapped into valve casing & fit much tighter than plated pistons. No plating or finish applied. May discolor w/use of different oils, lack of cleaning.
Horn
MATERIAL
  • Yellow Brass: Standard material. Produces a lively sound and solid tone. (70% copper, 30% zinc).  Quicker response compared to Gold Brass.
  • Gold (Red) Brass: Warmer, darker sound than yellow brass with more carrying power. (85% copper, 15% zinc). 
  • Sterling Plus:  (Bach only)  99.9% pure sterling silver. Creates a richer sound with full overtones – more projection.
  • Sterling Silver: 92.5% pure sterling silver.  Unique rich sound, full overtones.

BELL (Determines the characteristic sound of the instrument)
CONSTRUCTION
  • One-Piece Bell: (Professional) Bell formed from one continuous piece of metal producing a greatly improved tone over a two-piece bell.
  • Two-Piece Bell: (Student & Intermediate) Bell flare soldered on stem.
    Bach: Brazed (soldered)
    Conn, King, Holton: Plasma fused (no filler material)

WEIGHT
  • Lightweight - Lighter, thinner brass. Responds faster to attack. Brighter sound. (no tuning slide brace)
  • Heavy - Thicker brass. Restricts the sound more and creates a darker tone. Good for situations involving high dynamic levels without distortion. (2 tuning slide braces)
  • Standard - Falls in-between light and heavy. Good for all around uses. (1 tuning slide brace)

FLARE
  • Fast Taper - Creates a warmer, darker tone (solid line).
  • Slower Taper - More brilliant sound (dotted line).

BORE (Determined by measuring the inner diameter of second valve slide)
  • Medium:    .453”
  • Med. Large:    .459” – (Most popular Bb bore)
  • Large:         .462” – (Most popular C bore) & .464
  • Extra Large:    .468”
  • Vindabona:    .453”/.459”

FINISH
  • Silver:    Slightly brightens the sound.
  • Lacquer:    Slightly darkens/dampens sound. 
  • Gold:    Darkens sound more than lacquer.

PISTONS
  • Plated: Designed for students. Have wider tolerances & require less cleaning / lapping than Monel.
  • Stainless Steel: Designed for students. Have wider tolerances & require less cleaning / lapping than Monel.  Does not wear off like plating.  
  • Monel:  All intermediate & professional. Non-corrosive, very hard & durable. Must be hand-lapped into valve casing & fit much tighter than plated pistons. No plating or finish applied. May discolor w/use of different oils, lack of cleaning.
Trombone (Bass Trombone)
MATERIAL
  • Yellow Brass: Standard material. Produces a lively sound and solid tone. (70% copper, 30% zinc).  Quicker response compared to Gold Brass.
  • Gold Brass: Warmer, darker sound than yellow brass with more carrying power. (85% copper, 15% zinc).
  • Rose Brass:  Warmer, darker sound. (90% copper / 10% zinc)
  • Sterling Silver: Richer sound, more projection (92.5% pure silver)
  • Sterling Plus (Bach):  Richer sound with full overtones (99.9% pure silver) 

BELL (Determines the characteristic sound of the instrument)
CONSTRUCTION
  • One-Piece Bell: (Professional) Bell formed from one continuous piece of brass producing a greatly improved tone over a two-piece bell.
  • Two-Piece Bell: (Student & Intermediate) Bell soldered on stem.
WEIGHT
  • Lightweight - Lighter, thinner brass. Responds faster to attack. Brighter sound. (no tuning slide brace)
  • Heavy - Thicker brass. Restricts the sound more and creates a darker tone. Good for situations involving high dynamic levels without distortion. (2 tuning slide braces)
  • Standard - Falls in-between light and heavy. Good for all around uses. (1 tuning slide brace)

FINISH
  • Silver - Slightly brightens the sound.
  • Lacquer - Slightly darkens/dampens sound. 

BORE (Determined by measuring the inner diameter of inner slide tubes)
ALTO TROMBONE
  • Medium:        .468”
TENOR TROMBONE
  • Small:            .485” - .490”
  • Medium:        .500” - .509”
  • Medium Large:        .525
  • Large:            .547”
BASS TROMBONE
  • Large (Bass):        .562”
  • Dual:            .495” / .509”    >481” / .491”

SLIDES
  • Standard: Yellow or Rose brass outer slides, chrome-plated, nickel-silver inner slides.
  • Lightweight (LT): Nickel- silver outer slides, chrome-plated, nickel silver inner slides. Produces a lighter feel, quicker response and more resistant to corrosion. 
  • Narrow:  Slide width is reduced for playing comfort

F ATTACHMENT
  • Traditional Wraps: Tighter wrap with more bends in tubing. More compact, provides more protection.
  • Open Wraps:  Eliminates sharp crook tube bends within the rotor section; allows for a free and unimpeded flow of the air column. 

ROTORS
  • Traditional Rotor:  Rotary style with 90o and 180o bends in the tubing.
  • Axial Flow/Thayer:  A Conical style valve deflecting air at 25o bends, freeing up the response in the valve section.
  • Hagmann:  Rotary style valve with less harsh bends than a traditional rotor (60o to 66o) and less maintenance than an Axial Flow Valve.
  • Greenhoe:  Rotary style valve using angles of tubing to minimize the degree of bends through the valve section.  Unique vented airways in the brass rotor to allow constant airflow and minimize pressure when playing.
  • Lindberg (CL2000):   Rotary style valve with a direct path through the valve when open and diverting air through smoother bends to produce a more open response.
Euphonium
​MATERIALS
  • Yellow Brass: Standard material. Produces a lively sound and solid tone. (70% copper, 30% zinc).  Quicker response compared to Gold Brass.
  • Gold (Red) Brass: Warmer, darker sound than yellow brass with more carrying power. (85% copper, 15% zinc). 
  • Sterling Plus:  (Bach only)  99.9% pure sterling silver. Creates a richer sound with full overtones – more projection.
  • Sterling Silver: 92.5% pure sterling silver.  Unique rich sound, full overtones.

BELL (Determines the characteristic sound of the instrument)
  • One-Piece Bell: (Professional) Bell formed from one continuous piece of metal producing a greatly improved tone over a two-piece bell.
  • Two-Piece Bell: (Student & Intermediate) Bell flare soldered on stem.
    Bach: Brazed (soldered)
    Conn, King, Holton: Plasma fused (no filler material)

BORE (Determined by measuring the inner diameter of second valve slide)
  • Medium:    .453”
  • Med. Large:    .459” – (Most popular Bb bore)
  • Large:         .462” – (Most popular C bore) & .464
  • Extra Large:    .468”
  • Vindabona:    .453”/.459”

FINISH
  • Silver:    Slightly brightens the sound.
  • Lacquer:    Slightly darkens/dampens sound. 
  • Gold:    Darkens sound more than lacquer.

PISTONS
  • Plated: Designed for students. Have wider tolerances & require less cleaning / lapping than Monel.
  • Stainless Steel: Designed for students. Have wider tolerances & require less cleaning / lapping than Monel.  Does not wear off like plating.  
  • Monel:  All intermediate & professional. Non-corrosive, very hard & durable. Must be hand-lapped into valve casing & fit much tighter than plated pistons. No plating or finish applied. May discolor w/use of different oils, lack of cleaning.
Tuba
MATERIALS
  • Yellow Brass: Standard material. Produces a lively sound and solid tone. (70% copper, 30% zinc).  Quicker response compared to Gold Brass.
  • Gold (Red) Brass: Warmer, darker sound than yellow brass with more carrying power. (85% copper, 15% zinc). 
  • Sterling Plus:  (Bach only)  99.9% pure sterling silver. Creates a richer sound with full overtones – more projection.
  • Sterling Silver: 92.5% pure sterling silver.  Unique rich sound, full overtones.

BELL (Determines the characteristic sound of the instrument)
  • One-Piece Bell: (Professional) Bell formed from one continuous piece of metal producing a greatly improved tone over a two-piece bell.
  • Two-Piece Bell: (Student & Intermediate) Bell flare soldered on stem.
    Bach: Brazed (soldered)
    Conn, King, Holton: Plasma fused (no filler material)

BORE (Determined by measuring the inner diameter of second valve slide)
  • Medium:    .453”
  • Med. Large:    .459” – (Most popular Bb bore)
  • Large:         .462” – (Most popular C bore) & .464
  • Extra Large:    .468”
  • Vindabona:    .453”/.459”

FINISH
  • Silver:    Slightly brightens the sound.
  • Lacquer:    Slightly darkens/dampens sound. 
  • Gold:    Darkens sound more than lacquer.

PISTONS
  • Plated: Designed for students. Have wider tolerances & require less cleaning / lapping than Monel.
  • Stainless Steel: Designed for students. Have wider tolerances & require less cleaning / lapping than Monel.  Does not wear off like plating.  
  • Monel:  All intermediate & professional. Non-corrosive, very hard & durable. Must be hand-lapped into valve casing & fit much tighter than plated pistons. No plating or finish applied. May discolor w/use of different oils, lack of cleaning.